Decomposed body of married woman found in Barasat home; Husband arrested for suspected murder

A decomposed body of a married woman was discovered inside a rented house in Barasat, North 24 Parganas, on Sunday night. The body, wrapped in a blanket, was found after neighbors and the landlord noticed a foul smell coming from the house. The police opened the locked door and identified the deceased as Laxmi Mahto.

Laxmi Mahto had moved into the rented house in the Ashwinipally Maniknagar area about a month ago with her husband, Biju Saha. The landlord, Ranjit Baral, along with other tenants, reported a strong stench from the property which led to police being informed. On entry, the police found the body in a severely decomposed state, making initial identification difficult.

Neighbors informed that Biju Saha was a habitual drinker and often quarreled with his wife while intoxicated. The landlord had issued a notice to the couple to vacate the premises due to frequent disputes. The victim’s husband fled the area after the incident but was arrested by police early Monday from the Champadali area of Barasat.

Police officials revealed that Biju Saha, who works as a bus driver, had not submitted any identification documents while renting the house and delayed the process repeatedly. A case has been registered and the police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death. The exact cause will be determined after the postmortem report is received.

Local residents said the victim’s face was badly disfigured due to decomposition, complicating recognition. Police are conducting detailed inquiries in the neighborhood and collecting information from witnesses to support the ongoing investigation. The case remains under active investigation.